Send this story Print this story

Adjust text size

MV Farmers Market No. 1 in Bay Area

The Mountain View Farmers Market is more than just popular — it's just won first place among Bay Area markets.

Besides topping the Bay Area scene, the Mountain View market made the top five of best farmers markets in the nation by the American Farmland Trust, and its 918 votes earned it second-place in California, with more than twice the votes of the second-ranked Bay Area farmers market in San Francisco. The rankings were determined by e-mailed votes from market patrons.

This is the second year the American Farmland Trust has polled shoppers for the top market. Last year, Mountain View did not make the top 20. According to David Gerhard, Director of Communications for the California Farmers Market Association, the increase was due to more community outreach.

"We had people who were gung-ho market fans, and as soon as they found out about the contest this year, they spread the word through e-mail and our Facebook page," he said. "We also brought computers to farmers markets to encourage people to vote, and let them vote on paper, which we'd input for them later."

Gerhard said the Mountain View market is the fourth largest in the state, with more than 98 truckloads of produce offered every Sunday.

"We have community support and farmer support," he said. "This is a wonderful start, and I think we'll get even more votes in the future."

The Mountain View Farmers' Market is open every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and offers produce from approximately 85 growers.

— Angela Chen